The Names of the 2016 Rio de Janiero Olympic mascots

The 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janiero are right around the corner. In preparation for the activities, the official names of the two mascots designed for the sports events have been announced: Vinicius and Tom.

These names honor the famous Bossa Nova musicians, Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim. Bossa Nova, the name given to a fusion of jazz and samba, is considered to be one of the most popular genres of music to come out of Brazil.

The onomastic announcement by the Brazilian Olympic Committee not only brings much needed positive press to the 2016 Games, but also honors to two of the country’s music legends.